Nicole Cooke

The year began with one of Britain’s greatest cyclists announcing her retirement – Nicole Cooke. Marianne Vos (more of whom later) is rightly lauded as the greatest female cyclist of her generation, but fans of British cycle sport can take pride in the knowledge that Cooke in her pomp ruled with a similar level of dominance.

The crowning moment of Vos’ career to date has been a victory in the Olympic road race and world road race championships in the same year. The only other female rider to achieve the double? Yup, you guessed it. Cooke. When political band wagon jumpers took an interest in women’s cycling for five minutes in the summer, much was made of the absence of a women’s Tour de France. Just such an event was held for nearly 25 years. Cooke won it. Twice. And the women’s Giro d’Italia. And the women’s Flèche Wallonne (three times), Ronde Van Vlaanderen, and Amstel Gold Race. Next year, the Commonwealth Games will be held in on British soil for the first time since 2002. No prizes for guessing the winner of the women’s road race when it came to Manchester 11 years ago.

Anyone lucky enough to be seated next to Cooke at the RCUK fantasy Christmas dinner, would find much to discuss. What next for one of Britain’s best ever riders? Coaching? Commentary? Management? Or, with women’s road racing thrust into the spotlight by the abundance of female talent, in this country at least, who better to champion the cause? Cooke’s farewell press conference contained several well-aimed blasts at those who had damaged the sport while she quietly got on with the business of winning clean. The Welshwoman would be an eloquent champion for her sport.